Hello, I have a 29G freshwater tank. It has 5 plants in it and 12 fish +2 snails. I have been using RO water for about 2 months. Everything is fine. MY fish are happy, although all of my plants seem to be dying. Regardless, I am new to tanks and want to make sure im doing eveyyrhting right. Am I okay to keep topping off with RO water and doing water changes with RO water? I don't want to wake up one day and have all my fish dead, Thanks for any input!
Is my tank okay?
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Fishobsessed7
Aquarium Advice Addict
If your using pure RO your plants may have a mineral deficiency,
Fishobsessed7
Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing
Fishobsessed7
Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing
I am using pure RO. What are my solutions, and I don't have a test kit because I am unsure of what kind I need.
ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 to above. Tap water contains trace elements that RO removes.
Why not use your tap water?
Caleb
Use only, 100%, tap water?
ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm saying why are you not using tap anyway? For most of us it's much faster and easier to just use tap.
There's nothing wrong with RO, but 100% RO is what's hurting your plants because RO removes all the nutrients that are present in the water.
Caleb
I just assumed tap water was bad. So is it cool if I transition to all tap?
coralbandit
Aquarium Advice Addict
An API master freshwater kit will provide a good base of test.
I believe if you want GH/KH test they are a separate purchase.
Using RO water without a good reason is a waste IMO...
You need to test your source water from the tap for ph.
Then take a sample and let it set for 24 hours and then test it for ph.
The second reading(after 24 hours) will be your true ph.
How do you decide how much water to change without a test kit???
Have you never tested for nitrates?
What kind of fish are you keeping would be next useful info to be considered with your water parameters.
Depending on the fish there are cheap easy ways to 'remineralize' your RO water if it is necessary.
ScotJudd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi. Most tap water is fine for aquariums providing it is pretreated with a good de-chlorinator, such as Prime, the favoured product on this forum.
All fish keepers should have a good test kit, otherwise you are only guessing what is happening in your tank. A good product is the API Freshwater Test Master. This is a liquid test kit that tests Ph, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. You can buy an additional kit that tests Kh and Gh. Avoid paper test strips as they are very unreliable and will cost more in the long run.
It is a good idea to run off a bucket of tap water, condition it and leave it for 24 hours. Test it and this will give you your 'base line'.
Test your tank water and see if they are miles apart. If they are then you will need a slow transition from RO to tap water. Providing your tap water isn't way out of the range for your existing fish, i.e. very hard or very soft, then you should be good to go.
For anyone who hasn't yet decided on which fish to keep then it is a good idea to match the fish to your existing tap water. For example, my tap water is VERY soft and I have decided to keep soft water loving fish, in my case South American tetras etc.
Hope that's of some help.
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
All fish keepers should have a good test kit, otherwise you are only guessing what is happening in your tank. A good product is the API Freshwater Test Master. This is a liquid test kit that tests Ph, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. You can buy an additional kit that tests Kh and Gh. Avoid paper test strips as they are very unreliable and will cost more in the long run.
It is a good idea to run off a bucket of tap water, condition it and leave it for 24 hours. Test it and this will give you your 'base line'.
Test your tank water and see if they are miles apart. If they are then you will need a slow transition from RO to tap water. Providing your tap water isn't way out of the range for your existing fish, i.e. very hard or very soft, then you should be good to go.
For anyone who hasn't yet decided on which fish to keep then it is a good idea to match the fish to your existing tap water. For example, my tap water is VERY soft and I have decided to keep soft water loving fish, in my case South American tetras etc.
Hope that's of some help.
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
ScotJudd
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1. CoralBandit got in just before me ?
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
